A Miraculous Christmas
by mitchkat1
Summary: It's Christmas time in Paris! Marinette wants to get Adrien the perfect present and he wants to do something special for Ladybug to celebrate the season. Unfortunately, not everyone in Paris is feeling the Christmas cheer and it's up to Ladybug and Chat Noir to bring joy back to Paris. How will their holidays fare?
1. Chapter 1

**Merry Christmas every... wait, I guess it really isn't Christmas yet, huh? Technically, it's still November, but Thanksgiving has passed and in America that means it is 100% okay to start thinking about the holidays. I really wanted to write a holiday themed Miraculous Ladybug story. I don't know if they'll be a holiday themed episode, but I hope there is. I'm a sucker for those kinds of things, which is why this story exists. I'm not sure how long it'll be. I guess I'll see how things play out. Either way, please enjoy! :)**

 **And don't forget to support Miraculous Ladybug in your country when it comes on TV. December 6th for all you Americans! The countdown has already begun.**

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Marinette circled the 25th on her calendar with red marker. Around the date, she scribbled a small Christmas tree and snowflakes. Christmas was still over a week away, but Marinette could barely contain her excitement. This year she was going to get Adrien a present. The problem was she didn't know what yet.

"What should I get him, Alya?" Marinette asked her best friend, who was hanging out with Marinette in her bedroom. "Well, you already made him a scarf, kind of…" Alya giggled. Marinette frowned and gave a loud sigh. "This is hopeless!" She collapsed on her bed in exasperation. Alya rubbed her friend's back and said, "Cheer up, girl. You could make him a card and he'd still love it. That's just the kind of person Adrien is."

"But I want to do more than that," Marinette groaned. "I want to get him something he'll really love." Marinette grabbed her phone and turned it on, revealing a modeling picture of Adrien. He was so perfect, so handsome. And Marinette knew that whatever she ended up getting him couldn't even compare to what Chloe would buy him. Was it even worth it to get him a present? It was unlikely that Marinette would be able to give it to him without making herself look like a complete fool. Not to mention, she'd probably forget to sign it… again. "Here's an idea," Alya said. "How about we take a trip through town and look at some Christmas displays for ideas?"

"Sure," Marinette said, getting off the bed. Marinette grabbed her coat, earmuffs, and scarf. There was snow on the ground and it was cold outside. She didn't want to get sick before she gave Adrien his present. Alya and Marinette climbed down to the main level of the bakery and put on their boots. The bakery was decorated for Christmas. There was a Christmas tree decorated with bakery themed ornaments. Tinsel and paper snowflakes lined the walls and windows. Many of the bakery's most popular treats were redesigned for the holidays. There were candy cane cookies and snowman cupcakes. Marinette's personal favorite were the homemade gingerbread men. She loved to eat them on Christmas Eve, especially when she was little. They were a present her parents always made for her.

"That's it!" Marinette cried out, startling Alya and her parents, who were serving a customer. "What?" Alya asked in confusion. "I'll bake Adrien cookies!"

"That's a great idea," Alya exclaimed. "No one is a better baker than you, well except your parents, of course. He'll love them. I'll love you if you make me some too." Marinette laughed and agreed to make some treats to share with all her friends. The two girls said goodbye to Marinette's parents and headed outside to do their window shopping. Marinette was always in awe when she walked around Paris in the winter. It had just snowed the night before, so the ground was white with pure snow. The lights from the buildings reflected off the snow, creating a beautiful scene.

Marinette and Alya wandered through town, enjoying the holiday cheer. People seemed to be happier everywhere. Festive music played throughout the streets and there was laughter and smiles from all. They loved looking at the Christmas displays, especially the displays of clothing stores. "Look at this outfit!" Marinette beamed, pointing at a mannequin wearing a red and black spotted sweater. It had on black pants and a cute red hat. "It's adorable." Marinette leaned her face against the display window. "Too bad I don't have any money."

"It's Ladybug inspired too," Alya grinned. "Speaking of Ladybug, I wonder what she does for the holidays." Marinette laughed to herself. "I bet she does what everyone else does. She's a normal person too," Marinette replied, knowing the truth in that. Alya shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe she and Chat Noir have a romantic Christmas date planned." A shiver ran up Marinette's spine and her face turned red. "W-why would you even say that?" Marinette retorted defensively. "She doesn't feel that way about that silly cat!" Alya raised an eyebrow. "How would you know that?"

"J-just a guess. Oh, wow! Look at that over there!" Marinette pointed to another display, distracting her friend. Alya walked over and admired the display. "That was a close one," Marinette thought to herself. She was a bit annoyed, however, at Alya's claim. Recently, everyone had decided that she and Chat Noir were an "item". She didn't know what had prompted this change in thought, but it bothered her. She and Chat were partners and friends, not lovers. Her heart belonged only to Adrien.

"If you keep standing there, I'll leave you behind!" Alya yelled. Marinette was snapped away from her thoughts and saw that Alya was walking away. "Hey!" Marinette cried, chasing after her. While running, Marinette tripped in the snow and fell head-first, covering her face and body in snow. "It's cold!" she yelled, sitting herself up. With her knees still in the snow, she tried to brush herself off. "Tikki," she whispered. "Are you okay?" A small face peaked out of Marinette's bag and nodded. "Yep, no snow in here!" Tikki smiled before retreating back into the back. Marinette was about to stand up when she noticed two bodies appear in front of her.

"Marinette?" one of them asked. She looked up and saw Adrien and Nino in front of her. If Adrien wasn't standing there, she would have yelled out in agony. "Um… how much of that did you see?" Marinette said in a quiet voice. "All of it," Nino laughed. "You should've seen your face when you were going down." Nino was laughing so hard he could barely control himself until Alya snuck up from behind and smacked him on the top of his head. "You're so rude. Neither of you offered to help the poor girl up!"

Alya gave Marinette her hand and pulled her up. Marinette stared at the ground, her face red. Adrien watched her fall down. She probably looked like a complete idiot. She quickly glanced up at his face and found him smiling, most likely at her misfortune. Still, it was good to see him smile like that. At school, his smiles sometimes appeared forced, like he wasn't enjoying himself. Marinette worried about him. She didn't know why he always seemed a little sad. In recent months though, he began to cheer up more.

"How about you boys accompany us on our window shopping?" Alya grinned as she nudged Adrien in the arm. "That'd be fun," he agreed. "Lovely!" Alya smiled. She grabbed Nino's arm and pulled him in the opposite direction. "Let's get going then!" She pulled Nino along, leaving Marinette and Adrien behind. "Let's follow them," Adrien said, pointing in the other direction. Marinette nodded. She began to walk with Adrien right next to her. He was almost touching her shoulder. Marinette could see her breath in the air. She wasn't sure if it was because it was so cold or she was so warm. Underneath her coat, she was sweating from the nerves.

She took another look at Adrien and noticed he was wearing the scarf she had made for him. Unfortunately, he thought his father bought him the scarf as a present and Marinette had never tried to correct him. Adrien seemed so happy when he thought he received a gift from his father. The pair continued to walk until they met back up with Nino and Alya. Not to Marinette's surprise, Nino and Alya were talking about Ladybug. Alya always seemed to return to that topic of conversation.

"What do you think about Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Alya asked eagerly. "Oh, they have to be a couple. Have you seen the moves Chat makes on her," Nino responded. "Not that I care about things like that though…" Nino said quickly, trying to regain a bit of his manliness. "What about you, Adrien?" Alya asked, turning to the blonde haired boy. Adrien was taken aback by the sudden question, but answered, "I don't know if they're a couple yet, but he definitely loves her a lot. I think they should get together." His face was red, almost matching Marinette.

"Not you too!" Marinette exclaimed suddenly. Now she was upset. Not only was everyone in Paris trying to push her and Chat together, but the boy she loved said that too. Marinette knew that Adrien didn't know she was Ladybug, but it still hurt her heart that he would tell her to get together with someone else. Everyone looked at Marinette in confusion, making her embarrassed. "S-sorry, I-I have to go," Marinette cried, running from the group. She felt a salty tear run down her face. She had been hurt by Adrien's words and embarrassed herself in front of him.

"I made her mad, didn't I?" Adrien said, a frown on his face. "I'm so sorry. What should I do?" Alya shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Marinette is sometimes sensitive about certain things. She'll be better by tomorrow. I'll go chase after her. You two go have some fun. Nino, I'll text you later about that video for the Ladyblog." With that Alya walked away, leaving just the two boys.

"What video?" Adrien grinned at his friend, brushing off the situation with Marinette. Nino rolled his eyes, but Adrien noticed his face was turning red like a tomato. "She just wanted some help with a video for her blog, jeez," Nino huffed. Adrien couldn't help but laugh. Nino was one of the first real friends Adrien had ever had and he was always joyful when he got to learn more about him, like his crush on Alya. Nino had been good at hiding it early in the year, but now it was becoming more and more obvious. "Let's keep going," Adrien laughed, moving his friend along the sidewalk.

The two boys were chatting when they noticed someone causing a ruckus outside of a store. There was a man in a black coat yelling a store employee who was hanging up decorations. "You could have killed me!" the man screamed at the employee, who was a young man no older than 20. He must have been working at the store part-time during the vacation. "I'm sorry, sir," the boy replied. He had a panicked look on his face. He was unsure how to deal with the angry man. "This is ridiculous!" the man continued his rant. "All this holiday nonsense and the stupid decorations and annoying songs. You were so distracted that you almost dropped that giant ornament right on my head." The man pulled back his hand ready to hit the boy when Adrien jumped in front on him and grabbed his arm.

"Please stop!" Adrien demanded, trying to keep the man back. Nino watched in amazement as his friend defended a random stranger. He never knew Adrien had such a strong sense of justice. The man in the black coat scowled and walked away, muttering something under his breath. Adrien turned to the employee and asked if he was okay. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for helping me," the boy nodded. He was immensely grateful for the help. How far would the situation have escalated if Adrien hadn't been there to stop that man?

The store employee thanked Adrien once more and then he and Nino went on their way. "I didn't know people could be so bitter, especially during Christmas time," Nino said. "Neither did I," Adrien agreed. There had been holidays when Adrien felt lonely and sad, but never bitter. It was hard to hate people when everyone was filled with cheer, even if it was a person like Adrien's father. "I wonder if something happened to that guy to make him like that," Nino continued. Adrien nodded and looked up at the sky. The clouds were gray and it was beginning to lightly snow. "Yeah, I wonder…"

The man in the black coat stepped on a candy cane someone dropped on the ground, crushing it into pieces. He took a seat on nearby bench and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it and stuck it in his mouth. His name was Marius. Up until recently, he had loved the holidays. Every year, he spent them with his family and this year, the holidays were supposed to be extra special. He had planned to spend Christmas with his girlfriend, who he wanted to propose to. He had bought a ring and everything. He wanted to propose to her on Christmas, her favorite holiday. Sadly, they had gotten into a fight and she hadn't talked to him since. He couldn't even recall what the fight was about it. It had been something stupid. That was a week ago. Marius leaned back in the bench and blew out a puff of smoke. Now the holidays were disgusting. While he sat there miserable, everyone else was laughing and smiling. The holiday music made his ears bleed. The Christmas displays made him want to poke his eyes out. The happy people he saw made him sick.

Marius pulled out the small ring that he kept in his pocket. It had a large diamond in the center and tiny stars etched along the sides. He wanted to throw it far away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He held the ring in his palm as a tiny, purple butterfly appeared out of nowhere.

"Shouldn't all the bugs be dead by now?" Marius thought as the butterfly flew closer and closer. It landed on the ring, turning the pure diamond purple. A voice shot through Marius's head. "Amer Noel, holiday cheer is sickening, isn't it? If you help me take Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses, you can spread all the holiday hatred you want."

"Yes, sir," Marius said as a purple mist enveloped his body. "Good," the voice whispered. "Have a very unmerry Christmas."


	2. Chapter 2

**So, this story is going to be 4 chapters long of about 2000ish words. It's relatively short, but I think it's an appropriate size for a holiday story. Regardless, please enjoy.**

 **And don't forget to support Miraculous Ladybug in your area and send some holiday wishes to the creators! We're all very grateful for what they've done. :)**

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Marinette marched home and opened the door to the bakery. Her parents were surprised to see her home so soon. "Marinette, would you like to try the peppermint candies your Dad made?" her mom asked. "No thanks," Marinette said, wiping a tear from her eye. Both of her parents became worried. Marinette wasn't one to turn down sweets. Marinette went up to her bedroom and curled up in a ball on her bed. Tikki flew out of her purse and sat beside her. "It's okay," Tikki said, trying to comfort her friend. "I completely embarrassed myself!" Marinette cried. Her face was red from crying and her hair had fallen out of one of her pigtails. "And even Adrien thinks that I'd be better off with someone else."

"That's not true," Tikki disagreed. She flew in front of Marinette and made eye contact with her. "He was talking about Ladybug, not Marinette. He doesn't know they are one in the same. That doesn't mean he doesn't like you." Tikki's words made Marinette feel more hopeful. Suddenly, the trap door to her room swung open. Tikki quickly flew behind the bed to hide.

"Were you talking to someone?" Alya said, poking her head out of the floor. "No," Marinette quickly responded. Alya pulled herself up into the room and walked over to the bed, taking a seat beside Marinette. "Are you okay?" Marinette nodded. "I'm sorry, I overreacted. Adrien probably thinks I'm an even bigger loser now."

"Well, you'd be wrong about that," Alya replied. "He was worried about you. He says he's sorry. He didn't mean to make you upset." Marinette bit her lip. "I should apologize too. He'll feel bad about this unless I say something."

"Maybe that's the perfect time to give him his present?" Alya suggested. "Calm down," Marinette laughed. "I have to make it first." Marinette grabbed one of her fashion sketchbooks and a pencil. "What should I make for him?"

"Adrien strikes me as a sugar cookie kind of guy," Alya said. Marinette began to sketch designs for her cookies. There was one that looked like a snowflake and another a Christmas tree. "It's too boring," Marinette huffed. "Here's an idea," Alya grinned, taking the sketchbook from Marinette's hands. She began to draw something on the page, not showing it to Marinette. Marinette waited impatiently for Alya to finish her sketch. Finally, Alya was done and showed Marinette her idea.

She had drawn a cookie in the shape of and frosted like a ladybug. Another was a black cat. "I have a sneaking suspicion Adrien likes Ladybug and Chat Noir. He'd love cookies like these. I'd love cookies like these too." Marinette groaned. Could Alya stop thinking about Ladybug for 30 seconds? Marinette took the sketchbook back and looked at the designs. The cookies were pretty cute and Adrien did seem to like Ladybug a lot…

"They aren't very Christmasy though," Marinette mentioned. "Add some Santa hats or snowflakes to the mix," Alya replied. "They'll be great!" Marinette sighed and agreed to make them. "But you have to help me," she told Alya. "You can make some too and give them to Nino." Alya turned red and crossed her arms in denial. "I don't know what you're talking about." Marinette had to laugh. Her friend obviously had a crush on Nino, but couldn't see it herself. Marinette's cheerful laughter made Alya smile. "I'm glad you've cheered up already."

Meanwhile, Adrien and Nino were still out window shopping. Adrien seemed to have something on his mind. He looked at the couples walking down the streets with longing. "Dude," Nino said, stopping his friend. "What's up? You've got this lovesick look in your eyes. It's kind of grossing me out."

"Oh, sorry," Adrien nodded, collecting his thoughts. He was thinking about Ladybug. He wondered if there would be a day when the two of them could go out and celebrate the holidays, walking hand in hand in the snow. He blushed at the thought. He wanted to do something for her to wish her a merry Christmas, but he didn't know what to do. He didn't know her interests, her likes and dislikes. Did she even celebrate Christmas?

"You're spacing out again," Nino said, waving his hand in front of Adrien's face. "Nino, what would you get a girl for Christmas?" Adrien asked suddenly. Nino tilted his head in confusion. Did Adrien like a girl? Now was time to give Adrien some advice from romance expert Nino. "You have to get her something simple, but special. Something that reminds you of her. Girls eat that stuff up. So, are you going to tell me about this girl?"

"Oh, I'm not asking for me," Adrien stammered. "I'm asking for a friend." Nino frowned. "Adrien, I'm your only friend. Don't do this to me, man." Adrien smirked, a sign of refusal. He didn't want to explain to his friend that he had a crush on Paris's heroine, Ladybug, or that he planned to give her a present as Chat Noir. Adrien walked away, leaving Nino wondering what girl could have won over Adrien. It obviously wasn't Chloe. It couldn't be Alya (if it was, Nino would be quite upset). No one else seemed to interact with Adrien that much except for…

"Marinette!" Nino exclaimed causing Adrien to turn around. "What?" Adrien asked. "You want to get a present for Marinette. Nice choice, dude. I support you wholeheartedly." Nino winked. He knew about Marinette's little crush and like Alya, secretly wanted the two to get together. Adrien needed a girl in his life, someone he could count on and receive love from. The guy had a rough life considering his family situation.

"Marinette?" Adrien questioned. "No, she's not…" Nino shushed him. "I won't tell." Adrien didn't bother to correct Nino. It would be harder to explain the real reason to him. "We should head home," Adrien said. The snow was starting to come down hard. In a few minutes, it could easily turn into a snowstorm. "Yeah, let's go man!"

As the boys returned to their homes, a cold wind blew through Paris. The snow came down harder, making it difficult to see. People returned home and lit their fires, trying to warm up from the cold. No one was on the streets except a lone figure in black. He had on a long nightgown, like the kind from a Christmas Carol. His stocking cap fell to the side. The figure had a devious grin on his face. Though the snow hit his body, he didn't feel cold it all. The frozen snow felt refreshing. When the snow subsided and night fell, he would make his move. He would rid Paris of its holiday cheer once and for all.

Alya and Marinette got permission to use the bakery to bake their Christmas cookies. Because of the snow, there were no customers and Marinette's parents needed a break. "If you girls need anything, let us know," Marinette's mother smiled as she retreated to one of the back rooms to rest. Marinette and Alya pulled out all the ingredients they needed. They put everything in a bowl and began to mix. "Alya, can you get me a cookie sheet?"

"Will do," Alya said, rummaging through all the baking supplies for a sheet. She found two and placed them on the counter. Marinette had finished making the dough and rolled it out on parchment paper. She handed Alya a knife and they began to cut out their cookies. They didn't have cookie cutters so they'd have to do it the hard way. After cutting out the cookies, Marinette placed them on the cookie sheet and placed them in the oven. "Now for the frosting!" Marinette grinned. She quickly whipped up some of her parent's homemade frosting. She divided the frosting into different little bowls. Alya dropped a bit of food coloring in each bowl. Once the frosting was finished, the two girls had some time to spare as the cookies finished baking.

"When are you going to give Adrien his cookies?" Alya asked. "I don't know," Marinette sighed. "We're out of school, so I can't give them to him then."

"Why don't you ask him out on a date?"

"A date! Are you crazy? I could never do that."

"Why not? He'd say yes."

"No he wouldn't."

"Let's see then." Alya grabbed Marinette's phone and began to type in a number. "Alya, don't!" Marinette cried, trying to grab the phone. "We tried this before and you know how bad it went!" Alya refused to listen and pressed call. She held the phone up to her ear until someone picked up. "Hello?" the voice on the other end said. "Hey, Adrien," she began. "It's Alya. I was wondering if you'd be able to take Marinette out to eat or something tomorrow night. Her parents won't be home and I'm busy. I don't want her to be alone." Marinette's eyes widened at Alya's words. She made her sound like she was a little girl, unable to stay home alone. But if it got her a date with Adrien…

"Sure, I guess that'd be fine," Adrien answered. "Awesome, she'll be ready at 6:00. Bye." At his house, Adrien set down his phone, confused. Plagg was sitting on his bed, eating cheese. "What was that?" he asked, swallowing his cheese whole. "I don't really know," Adrien said. "I think I have plans though tomorrow night."

"Better hope there's no akuma," Plagg joked. "Shut up," Adrien groaned. Plagg's jokes weren't funny. Anyways, Adrien had a bigger problem. He needed to find Ladybug a present and fast. He planned to see her at tonight's patrol, but he didn't know if she'd be available after that. She might have her own holiday plans. "What to get?" Adrien thought to himself. He turned on his computer and searched the internet. When he searched gifts for girls, he got results for dresses, candies, and other expensive things. He didn't think Ladybug would want any of those. He was about to give up hope when he noticed something that caught his eye.

It was a ladybug necklace. The outlines of the spots and the ladybug were gold. The charm was on a gold chain. It looked elegant, but also cute. "That's it!" Adrien exclaimed. He grabbed his phone and dialed Nathalie's number. "Nathalie, can you do me a favor?"

Marinette was hyperventilating now. "Calm down! Breathe!" Alya said. "This is great news! You and Adrien have a date. Get excited!"

"I'm so scared. I don't know if I can do this," Marinette whined. "You can, but don't worry about it now. We have to finish these cookies!" Alya smiled. The girls began to decorate their cookies. When they were finished, it was clear which ones Marinette made and which ones Alya made. Marinette had the better frosting skills. She was especially proud of her Chat Noir cookies. They looked just like him, and she would know.

"Is it already that late?!" Alya said as she checked her phone. She placed her cookies in a bag that Marinette gave her and grabbed her coat. "I have to go. My mom is gonna be home late tonight and I need to make the kids dinner."

"Have fun!" Marinette laughed. "And be safe in the snow."

"When am I ever not safe?" Alya asked as she left the bakery. Marinette rolled her eyes. She put her own cookies in a Christmas themed bag that her parents used for the holidays. She tied the bag with a red ribbon and set it in front of her. "I hope he likes them," Marinette wished. She looked outside the window and saw that it really had gotten dark. The snow had started to die down, which made Marinette feel relieved. It wasn't fun to patrol in the heavy snow.

Marinette went up to her room where Tikki had fallen asleep. "Wake up, sleepyhead," Marinette smiled as she poked Tikki's tiny body. Tikki yawned and her eyes fluttered open. "Is it that time already?" Tikki asked. Marinette nodded. "Tikki, spots on!" Marinette's normal outfit transformed into that of Ladybug. She opened her window and a cold breeze blew through. Luckily for Marinette, her suit did a good job of keeping her warm. She jumped out the window and onto the roofs. Tonight was her last patrol with Chat Noir for a few days, provided nothing bad happened. They each needed some time to enjoy the holidays.

As Ladybug ran to meet up with Chat Noir, Adrien held a necklace in his hands. "Thank goodness for Nathalie," Adrien sighed. "Without her, I probably couldn't have gotten this in time. Though she'll probably tell my father that I bought a gift for a girl, not that he'd really care though…" Adrien placed the necklace in a small, red box and closed it. Adrien looked over at the clock in excitement. It was time to head out. He felt butterflies in his stomach. He hoped his lady would accept her present.

"Time to go, Plagg," Adrien called to his tiny, feline friend. Plagg looked up from his cheese and groaned, "Fine!"

"Claws out!" Adrien said, allowing himself to be transformed into Chat Noir. He grabbed the red box and put it in his pocket. He jumped out his bedroom window and onto the roof. In a few minutes, he would give Ladybug her present. He could barely contain his excitement.


	3. Chapter 3

**3/4ths of the way there. I hope everyone is enjoying this story and is having a lovely holiday season. Don't be a downer like Amer Noel and celebrate! Spread the holiday cheer and maybe some Miraculous Ladybug cheer too! ;)**

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Amer Noel watched as the streets filled with people again after the snow died down. "Perfect," he grinned. He waved his hand through the air and all the street lights flickered out. The holiday music stopped playing and a thick fog rolled in. Everything went silent until Amer Noel's voice boomed, "Unhappy Christmas to all and to all a bad night!" The eyes of the people surrounding him dulled. Their clothes turned grey and dingy reflecting their emotions. Amer Noel seemed to suck the joy out of everyone and everything. Amer Noel laughed at his work. "This is more like it," he cackled. He walked through the street, removing its joy and happiness. Bells stopped ringing and children stopped singing. Everything turned grey and dismal. Even the snow seemed to lose its energy.

"Ladybug," Chat Noir said as he saw his lady in the distance. "What's up, kitty?" Ladybug giggled as she met with her partner. "Happy holidays."

"You too," Chat Noir winked. Ladybug rolled her eyes at his flirtatious attitude. It could be annoying, but also very adorable. Chat placed his hand over his pocket where the box containing the necklace was. Should he wait or give it to her now? He didn't think the mood was quite right, but he could make it right. "You look beautiful on this snowy evening," Chat whispered, taking a step closer to Ladybug. "Thanks," she laughed. "Do you want me to return the compliment?"

"No need, my lady." Chat gave a small bow, causing Ladybug to laugh even more. He was such a silly kitty. "I was wondering if you had any holiday plans," Chat asked. Ladybug nodded her head. "A few, but I could always spare some extra time for you if you really want." Ladybug couldn't deny his request for more time together. From his small stories about his normal life, the holidays weren't a fun time for him. He was usually alone at home. If she could make him happy, she would do anything. No one deserved to be alone during the holidays, especially not her alley cat. Chat gave her a giant smile, revealing his white teeth.

"Well then, maybe the two of us could…"

"Shhh…" Ladybug said, covering Chat Noir's mouth. His eyes focused on her hands which were touching his lips. "Do you hear that?" Chat Noir strained his ear and even with his enhanced hearing, he heard nothing. "There's nothing," he observed. Ladybug nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Look." She gestured to the town below them. All the lights were out and it was silent. There was no music, no people, no anything.

"Something isn't right," Ladybug said. "Follow me." She took out her yo-yo and threw it, letting it latch onto a building. She jumped away with Chat Noir running at her heels. They landed on the street and were amazed at what they saw. People were standing around doing absolutely nothing. Their clothes were grey and they had lifeless eyes. There was a strange fog as well. Everyone seemed to be void of joy. "Look at all these people!" Ladybug cried. "This must be the work of an akuma, but where could it be?" Her eyes darted around the scene for answers, but she found none. Chat was doing the same, though he was secretly very upset. "Of course," he thought to himself. "The one night I really didn't need an akuma attack."

"Chat, look here!" Ladybug called out. Chat Noir ran over to her. She had kneeled down on the snow and was pointing to a trail of footprints. "These footprints… Even though it's snowing, they don't seem to be filling in almost as if someone was leaving a sign of their presence. Chat, can you track down who these belong to?"

"I'm not a dog," Chat Noir sniffed. "But we can just follow them the normal way."

"Let's go then." He and Ladybug followed the tracks through Paris. Whoever this akuma was, they had covered a lot ground. All of Paris seemed to be silent. There wasn't a single light. It was eerie and gave Ladybug the shivers. "Why would someone do this?" she wondered as she and Chat searched for the perpetrator. "It's like their trying to rid Paris of all its holiday cheer."

"It must be someone who seriously hates Christmas," Chat agreed. "You have to really hate a holiday to…" Chat Noir let his words trail off as he saw a menacing figure standing in the street in front of him. He was clothed in black and had an alarming presence. "That's him," he whispered to Ladybug. He pulled out his baton and gripped it firmly in his hand. This didn't look like a nice, little akuma. A fight would be necessary. Fortunately, the akuma didn't notice them yet. He was too busy terrorizing a victim to notice the two heroes.

Ladybug and Chat Noir could hear the cries of a young child. "What did you do to my mommy?" A little voice cried. "Make her normal." The tiny boy held his teddy bear close to his chest, hoping it would keep him safe. The akuma gave an evil laugh. The boy's eyes widened and he was about to cry for help when Ladybug appeared in front of him. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked. "Picking on children? How soulless can you be?" The akuma stared at her in confusion. A voice shot through his head. "Seize her miraculous! Show her your true power!" A wicked smile grew on the man's face. "I am Amer Noel!" he shouted at the girl in front of him. "Give me your miraculous now!"

"Not a chance," Ladybug quipped. Amer Noel raised his hand in the air and a scythe appeared in his hands. "Not good," Ladybug thought. Amer Noel swung his scythe down, but was stopped by Chat Noir who was keeping his scythe at bay with his baton. "Get the kid out of here!" Chat shouted. Ladybug nodded and grabbed the child in her arms. She ran away with him as Chat Noir began to battle Amer Noel. Ladybug opened the door to a nearby restaurant and asked the child to stay safe in side.

"Ladybug," the child asked as she began to exit the restaurant. "Will you save my mommy?" Ladybug smiled and said, "Of course." She closed the door and ran back to battle. Chat was using his baton in a swordfight against Amer Noel, but he was losing. Their enemy was much larger and more powerful than him. "Chat Noir, over here!" Ladybug cried to her partner. Chat Noir dodged a scythe swing and sprinted over to his lady. "What should we do?" he asked. "Keep him distracted for now," she replied. "We need to find where that akuma is!"

Chat Noir and Ladybug went to work. Ladybug tossed her yo-yo and wrapped it around Amer Noel's legs, dragging him onto the ground. She wanted to approach him, but he stood up quickly. Her yo-yo wouldn't be much help here. Amer Noel began to swing his scythe again. That thing was dangerous and kept her from getting close to him. "Chat Noir, can you get rid of his scythe?" Ladybug yelled. "You got it!" he smiled, racing towards Amer Noel. "Cataclysm!" Chat Noir grabbed the scythe's base and watch it fall to pieces. Amer Noel had no weapon to fight back with. "Not so scary now," Chat Noir smirked. Amer Noel gave a deep roar in anger, causing Chat Noir to retreat behind Ladybug. "So maybe he's still a bit scary," Chat whispered.

"Where is it? Where is it?" Ladybug chanted in her head as she desperately tried to find the akuma. She looked over Amer Noel's body until she saw it. A small ring on his finger with a purple gem. "It's his ring!" Ladybug said. "Get him to take off his ring!" Chat Noir ran towards Amer Noel and grabbed his hand. Unfortunately for Chat, Amer Noel was stronger. He threw Chat's body into a nearby building. "That hurt!" Chat cried out. Ladybug groaned and wished her teammate could be serious for one minute.

Now that she knew where the akuma was, Ladybug threw her yo-yo in the air and yelled, "Lucky Charm!" A stick of gum covered in ladybug patterned paper fell into her hands. "Gum?" she groaned. How was gum going to stop Amer Noel? As Chat was still recovering from his fall, Ladybug looked around for options. "Christmas tree? No. Snowman? No. Chat Noir? Definitely not," she tried to think of what to do. "Building? No. Fountain? Maybe…" Ladybug looked over at the large fountain in the roundabout of the street. An idea popped into her head. "Bring him over here!" she commanded at Chat Noir. Chat Noir smiled and leaped over Amer Noel, taking his stocking cap. "You look paw-sitively awful without your hat on," Chat taunted. Amer Noel lunged after him. Chat Noir dangled the cap in front of his head, leading his towards the fountain.

Ladybug popped the gum into her mouth and began to chew. She ran over to the fountain and jumped on top onto the side. The top of the fountain produced water. A small tube came out the top that released the water. A tube that small wouldn't be able to handle the water pressure if something stopped the flow of water. Ladybug took the gum out of her mouth and placed it on top of the tube. The water from the fountain stopped for a moment. "Get ready!" Ladybug yelled to Chat Noir. All of sudden, the top of the fountain exploded with water. The small pipe had burst, causing water to fly right into the face of Amer Noel. He held up his hands to cover his eyes. His hands were soaked with water. As Amer Noel was distracted, Chat Noir jumped up and grabbed his hand. He took the ring and pulled it off. It came of easily since Amer Noel's fingers were wet. Chat threw the ring over to Ladybug.

"My ring!" Amer Noel cried, knocking Chat Noir aside. Chat's body flew into the air and he landed against the pavement. "Again with the throwing!" Chat shouted angrily. He rubbed his sore back and moaned. "Sorry, Amer Noel," Ladybug grinned. "But Christmas future isn't looking good for you." She threw the ring onto the ground as hard as she could. The gem in the center cracked open, allowing a purple butterfly to fly out.

"Time to clean up this mess," Ladybug said, using her yo-yo to catch the butterfly. In an instant, its violet wings turned white like the snow. It flew off into the winter sky. "Bye-bye, pretty butterfly," Ladybug smiled. Now it was time to bring back the Christmas cheer. "Miraculous Ladybug!" All the lights flickered back on. Festive music floated through the air. People's clothes returned to normal and their eyes became filled with happiness. The broken ring returned to normal. A purple mist shrouded Amer Noel, but disappeared, leaving a man in a black coat.

"It's the guy from earlier!" Chat Noir exclaimed as he stood up. He walked over to the man and helped him up. "W-what happened?" Marius stammered as he struggled to stand up. Everything was a blur. Ladybug approached him and placed the ring in his hand. "I think this belongs to you," she smiled. Marius took the ring and began to cry. "My Genevieve," he cried. Tears streamed down his face. "Can you forgive me? I'm so sorry," the man continued to grieve. Chat Noir rubbed the man's back, unsure of what to do.

"Marius?" a quiet voice emerged from the crowd. A short, but beautiful woman approached the two heroes and the man on the ground. "Marius, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She fell down next to him and grabbed his hands. "This is all my fault," she sobbed. "I was being ridiculous. I didn't mean anything of the things I said. I'm the one who should be sorry." She hugged Marius. He looked up at her and extended his hand. "My dearest Genevieve," Marius said. "Will you marry me?" The crowd of onlookers watched in awe. Ladybug tried to contain her squealing. This scene was too cute. Chat Noir watched unamused. He wasn't too happy see a man proposing when this entire night he'd been trying to give Ladybug her present.

"Yes, of course!" Genevieve accepted, giving Marius a giant kiss on the lips. The crowd cheered and Ladybug found herself clapping. She walked over to her companion and gave him a pat on the back. "We did well tonight," she grinned. Ladybug felt a small hand on her leg. She looked down and saw the little boy from earlier.

"Thank you, Ladybug!" he smiled. He had his teddy bear still in his hand. "Can I give you a thank you present?" he asked. Ladybug picked the boy up and held him in her arms. "Of course you may," she told him. "What is it?" The boy leaned forward and gave Ladybug a kiss on the cheek. Ladybug giggled, but Chat Noir was fuming. This little kid got more accomplished in five minutes than Chat Noir had in the entire time he'd known Ladybug. "That's enough," Chat said, taking the kid from Ladybug's arms. "You run off now, okay. Your mom will get worried."

"Thank you, Mr. Cat," the boy said, giving Chat Noir a toothy grin. "My name's Chat Noir," Chat frowned. "But you're welcome." The boy leaned in close and whispered into Chat Noir's ear. "She's your special lady, right? You should give her a kiss too!" The kid hopped out of Chat's arms and ran towards his mom. Chat Noir turned bright red at the thought of giving Ladybug a kiss. "What's wrong?" Ladybug asked, noticing the strange expression on Chat's face. "Hmm… nothing!" Chat answered franticly.

There was a beeping from Ladybug's earrings and Chat's ring. "Looks like it's time to go," Ladybug said. "See you soon." She was about to hop away when Chat grabbed her arm. "Wait, I still umm… have something to tell you. Can we meet at the Eiffel Tower in a bit?"

"See you there, kitty."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to everyone who has supported this holiday story. It really means a lot. Even from the first day I posted this story, I received a lot of support and positive feedback. This community is awesome and I can't wait to get even more involved with it. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, no matter what you do or don't celebrate. Happy holidays! :)**

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Chat Noir ran into a nearby building and detransformed. Plagg came out of the ring and felt his tummy rumble in hunger. "Adrien, I'm hungry," Plagg complained. Adrien tossed Plagg a piece of cheese that he kept in case of emergencies like this. "Hurry up," Adrien said. "I need to give Ladybug her present." Plagg rolled his eyes and began to nibble on his cheese. He was slightly annoyed to be caught up in Adrien's romance problems.

Marinette was close enough to her house that she detransformed when she got there. She entered her room and sat down on her bed. Tikki was eating some sugar cookies that Marinette had left out for her. "Wasn't that adorable?" Marinette smiled, thinking about the proposal she witnessed. "Do you think Adrien would do something like that? Or would he be more formal?" Marinette was off in her own little world as she imagined all the possible scenarios of Adrien proposing. Tikki laughed as she ate her cookies. That girl was completely and totally in love.

Once Tikki finished her snack, Marinette transformed back into Ladybug and headed towards the Eiffel Tower. "I wonder what Chat Noir wants to talk about?" she wondered. "It sounded like it was important. I shouldn't keep him waiting." Meanwhile, Adrien had transformed into Chat Noir and was running towards the Eiffel Tower. "You can do this," he whispered to himself. "Just give it to her." Chat Noir reached the tower and began to scale it. He and his lady didn't meet at the bottom. They preferred the top, where they could see all of Paris. Ladybug was already there waiting for him when he arrived. Underneath the snowy moon, she looked more beautiful than usual. Her features were defined and she looked magnificent. She turned to Chat and smiled. He almost fell over after seeing it.

"Don't let her smile kill you yet," Chat Noir thought. "What did you want to talk about?" Ladybug asked as Chat sat down beside her. "I have a special present for you," Chat Noir said, giving her a feline-like smile. He pulled the box from his pocket and handed it to her. Ladybug took the box and opened it. Inside was a lovely ladybug necklace. Ladybug was amazed at the gift Chat had gotten her. It looked expensive. "You didn't have to do this," Ladybug confessed. "Should I help you put in on?" Chat offered. He took the necklace out of the box and clasped it around her neck. "It looks even better on you," he complimented.

Ladybug turned red. Though she loved Adrien, she wasn't immune to all of Chat Noir's compliments. "Merry Christmas, my lady." Chat Noir looked happy that she was happy. She felt guilty that she hadn't gotten him a present. She had been so worried about Adrien that a gift for Chat hadn't even crossed her mind. How could she make it up to him? Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. "I have a present for you too," she grinned. Chat Noir's eyes widened in surprise. He was glad to know his lady had been thinking of him too. "Lean in close and close your eyes," she whispered. Chat Noir moved in close and kept his eyes closed. "What could she being doing?" he wondered.

He felt something soft on his cheek. He opened his eyes and saw Ladybug kissing him on the cheek. He could hardly contain his excitement. Ladybug pulled away and gave him a smile. "A kiss on the cheek couldn't hurt," she thought. "Merry Christmas, Chat Noir," she said as she stood up. She tossed her yo-yo and flew away, leaving Chat Noir dumbstruck. "She kissed me…" he said quietly. "She kissed me!" It had been a good night for the both of them.

The next morning, Marinette was stressing about her "date" with Adrien. "What should I wear? What should I say? I need to apologize for yesterday! And when should I give him the cookies? What if I mess this up? What if he hates me?"

"Relax," Tikki gleamed. "Just be yourself and everything will be fine."

"That's easy for you to say, Tikki. You aren't me." Marinette decided on a red dress and black boots for her date. She couldn't seem to escape the Ladybug theme. She tied red ribbons in her usual hair style and to top her outfit off, she wore the necklace Chat Noir had given her. Even though it was a present from that cat, she loved it. Marinette put on her purse and let Tikki hide inside. She felt better with Tikki just being there. "Marinette, your friend is here!" her mom's voice called down from below. Marinette tensed up. It was Adrien. She put on her coat and wrapped a red scarf around her neck. She grabbed her cookies and headed downstairs.

Adrien was standing in the doorway as brilliant as ever. He wasn't dressed as formally as Marinette, but he still looked gorgeous. He was wearing long black pants and nice shirt and tie. Even with his coat on, you could tell he was a model. "A-Adrien," Marinette stuttered as she walked over to him. "Hey," he simply greeted her. He looked up Marinette's parents who were working on some orders. "I thought your parent's weren't home."

"They had a… change of plans. We should get going," Marinette responded quickly. She pushed Adrien out of the house. She was amazed to see a giant limo sitting in front of the bakery. "Right," she thought to herself. "I forgot Adrien was ridiculously rich." Adrien helped her into the car and sat next to her. There was an awkward silence. They didn't know what to say to one another. "I should apologize for yesterday," Adrien thought. "She might still be mad at me."

"I should apologize," Marinette thought. "I must have made him feel bad." Marinette and Adrien looked at each other and at the same time went, "I'm sorry!" They looked at each other in surprise. "Why are you sorry?" Adrien asked. "I'm the one who hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to. It was an accident." Marinette shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I was being overly sensitive and caused a scene." There was another awkward silence before the two of them broke out in laughter. They had been worried about nothing. Neither of them had been upset.

"I-I don't see you laugh like that often," Marinette said suddenly. She clamped her hands over her mouth at her remark. She hadn't meant to say it. "What do you mean?" Adrien asked. "Well…" Marinette said slowly. "You don't always look happy, even at school when you're surrounded by friends. We all worry about you. I worry about you, so it's good to know that you're happy." Marinette blushed at her words and tried to cover her face with her scarf. Adrien laughed again. "Thanks," he smiled. The sight of his smile made Marinette almost pass out, but she was able to control herself.

The car came to a stop outside a fancy restaurant. "We're here!" Adrien said, helping Marinette out of the car. The two entered the restaurant. Marinette was amazed at how fancy it was. Everyone in it looked rich or famous. Everyone had on a suit or fancy dress. Marinette felt plain next to them. "This must be normal for Adrien," she sighed to herself. "I don't suit him at all. Maybe someone like Chloe would be better…"

"Our seat is ready," Adrien smiled. He took Marinette's hand as he guided her through the restaurant. "He's holding my hand!" Marinette thought. Her face was really red now. She was afraid that if she tried to speak, nothing understandable would come out. Adrien led her to their seats and they both sat down. Adrien took off his coat and set it beside him. Marinette took off her coat, but not her scarf. It helped conceal a bit of her blushing face. A waitress came and took their orders. Marinette and Adrien managed to have small talk. Marinette was able to make it through the conversation with Tikki hiding next to her and patting her on the leg. If Tikki was there encouraging her, Marinette had more confidence to make it through.

Adrien discovered that Marinette was more complex than he first thought. He knew she liked fashion and that he parents worked in a bakery, but that was it. He had never talked with her much in class. She always seemed to be on-edge around him, though he didn't know why. During the meal, he discovered many things about her. She and Alya had been friends since they were little. She was bad with technology. "Like… really bad," she had said. Her favorite color was red and she really liked hamsters. To his enjoyment, the meal flew by as they chatted. Before he knew it, they were done and he had to take Marinette home.

"Are you done?" he asked her. "I can take you back home if you're ready."

"I have something to give you first," Marinette said. She had gained enough confidence during the conversation to give Adrien his present. She pulled out a bag of cookies and handed it to him. "Merry Christmas, Adrien." He opened the bag and pulled out a ladybug shaped cookie. He took a bite and smiled. "They're delicious. Thank you!" He was especially happy about the ladybug cookie and he spied a black cat one in the bag. How ironic. He felt bad that he hadn't gotten her anything. Him going out with Marinette was such late notice. He planned to get gifts for his friends in a few days.

Marinette was ecstatic when she saw the expression on Adrien's face. He really liked it! She looked down at Tikki and smiled. The kwami gave her a wink in return. Tikki knew that everything was going to turn out great. Adrien helped Marinette out of her seat and escorted her to the car. The ride back to the bakery was quiet again. Marinette was having trouble containing her joy. She was afraid if she spoke she would look like a fool. Adrien was thinking about Marinette and how little he had known about his classmate. He wanted to spend more time with her in the future. She was a good friend, especially compared to Chloe. Maybe he could invite her to one of his fashion shoots. He knew she would enjoy it since she loved fashion.

They arrived at the bakery and Marinette stepped out of the car. Adrien got out as well so he could walk her to the door. "I had a lot of fun tonight," Marinette smiled. "Maybe we could do this again sometime?" She took a risk asking Adrien if they could meet again. To her relief, he happily agreed. "I'll see you at school then," Adrien said, returning to his car. All of a sudden, a huge gust of wind blew through taking hold of Marinette's scarf. It flew off her neck and towards Adrien. He jumped into the air and grabbed it. He walked back to her and placed it in her hands. "Be careful," he smiled. She seemed to like that scarf. She had kept it on her neck all night.

That's when he noticed the ladybug necklace around Marinette's neck. It looked exactly like the one he had given his lady the night before. "That necklace…" Adrien questioned. Marinette looked down at the necklace and grabbed the charm, showing it off. "Isn't it cute?" she asked. "A friend of mine gave it to me last night. I love it!"

"Last night?" Adrien wondered. "I'll be going then. See you at school," Marinette said, opening the bakery door. She looked back at Adrien and gave him a confident wink before going inside. Adrien stood there for a moment speechless. Marinette's expressions reminded him of Ladybug, full of confidence and grace. And that necklace… She had received it last night as a gift from someone. Adrien peaked through the bakery window and watched Marinette hang up her coat. She glanced around the bakery, but there was no one there since the bakery had closed early. Marinette opened her purse and Adrien watched a small creature fly out. It was red with black spots, almost like a… Adrien's eyes widened as he watched Marinette disappear into the back of the bakery.

"No way."

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 **Who liked the slight bit of reveal fic at the end? ;)**


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